The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-17
EGYPTIAN LUXURIES.
PREPARATION OF COFFEE IN THE
LAND OF THE NILE.

| A Delicious Br0wnish Black LIQUID with
Light Colored Froth on Top-Modus
| Operandi OF Smoking u Narghileh-An
| Alexandrian Cafe.
Inquiry into the method of preparing the
delicious coffee Of Egypt-cotfee served in
minute cups, even smaller than the after
dinner coffee cups of France and of the same
straight sided shape-brought to light the
following facts: First, the coffee should be
pure Mocha from the little island so near out
in the Mediterranean-and, by the way, it
is almost impossible to get the real article,
since it is all engaged years ahead. Then
the coffee is ground as fine as flour. Next a
small amount of the coffee and the necessary
amount OF sugar are put into brass or cop
per vessel shaped exactly like an ordinary
baby's tin rattle with the cover taken off Of
one of the ends. The cup thus formed
and containing the mixture of coffee and
sugar is filled nearly full of water and is
held by the handle over the fire until the
coffee boils, then it is withdrawn and allowed
to cool moment, and is then held over the
fire and the coffee allowed to come to a boil
again; once more it is cooled and after the
coffee comes to boil the third time it Is
iCoNy oiu ID pun Gu luVO llUUl0 CupS Inc
brass coffee boiler generally holds enough for
two cups, though larger ones are sometimes
used, some holding four cupfuls The LIQUID
is thick and brownish black with light col
ored froth on the top, and it is delicious
After the coffee is drank at the bottom Of
the cup remains about three teaspoonsfuls of
sediment that is like thick mud and is the
coffee deposit. This coffee and glass Of
Tor nd o6ar A. \
of the ten foot long flexible stem Of the
narghileh are the sights above the tables in
all directions, and, searching below, we find
with water to which the snaky stem may be
traced.
THE NARGHILEH.
It is decidedly a lazy mems smoke, as the
tobacco is very mild and half an hour is re-
quired to get half smoke, and how long a
pipe will last no one knows. An hour and
a half is as long as have smoked on one,
and then it was putting away better than
ever. 1t may take an inveterate smoker to
enjoy one of these water pipes, but when
the inveterate does get one he obtains real
treat after he has gotten the hang of it and
does not tire himself out drawing too hard.
Smoking narghileh differs from other kinds
IF smoking in that the smoke all goes through
the water below and is thus purified, and
also in the method, because in place of short
puffs is substituted deep breath and the
smoke is taken into the lungs. 1t is not pos.
sible to smoke the narghileh as a pipe is
smoked, so that those fearing to inhale
tobacco should never attack this water pipe,
also called the "hubble bubble, I" which seems
very good name and appropriate, too, as it
expresses the noise made by the separate
bubbles as they rise to the surface of the
water from the bottom Of the vertical pipe
that leads up to the tobacco.
The natives take their coffee and strong
pull at the pipe, which is a regular piece Of
furniture, as soon as they get up in the morn
ing, and seem to keep at it all day, too. |
They claim also that the narghileh is good |
for colds, and they deserve credit for having |
found an agreeable thing that is good for |
any ailment and that will replace fried |
onions around the neck Of the unfortunate |
soul with the cold.
The cafe is as great an institution with the
people of the orient as it is with the French,
and the warm climate makes the shaded out
door tables the popular Ones and they are
crow lei all day, whether along the Moham-
med Al! square and in the crowded business
places or in the back alleyways where the
visitors sit or reclne on cane bottomed
lounges and meditatively draw long draughts
o. peace Where all these men get living
is mystery, as thousands of them seem to
10 nothing all day but drink coffee and
smoke. The shopleeper in his little 10x10
store smokes his narghileh while waiting for
A customer. The thing is as necessary to an
Egyptian as his hat, and possibly more so;
and the comfortable expression on the face
Of one of these smoking is good to see.-Cor.
Detroit Frno Press.